Billy Ray Cyrus Duets ‘Hillbilly Heart’ With Kathie Lee on ‘Today’

For the better part of last week, the week leading up to the ACM Awards, country stars visited the ‘Today‘ show to try their hand at co-hosting the fourth hour with Hoda Kotb while Kathie Lee Gifford was away. Then, this week, Kotb had her chance to get away while Gifford found some co-hosts of her own. One guest who tried his hand as a co-host Wednesday and Thursday of this week (April 4 and 5) was Billy Ray Cyrus.

Wednesday, the singer-songwriter joined Gifford on the show and let fans into the process of writing a song. The two sang part of their song on the show and invited Facebook fans to help finish the lyrics. Then, on Thursday Cyrus premiered two of his songs from his upcoming record ‘Hillbilly Heart,’ which is also the title of his memoir, set to hit stores October 9. Additionally, he performed his forthcoming song ‘Hope Is Just Ahead.’

Taking the ‘Today’ stage for his premiere of ‘Hillbilly Heart,’ Cyrus brought his gravelly rockabilly voice to the song, and then — oh wait, what’s that? — Gifford approached with a mic and actually sang the song with him, though she admitted to not knowing any of the lyrics. Hey, Cyrus is a musician who tried his hand at hosting, so why shouldn’t the host try her hand at singing?

It’s obvious that Gifford has some musical dexterity, regardless of whether or not she knew the words to the song about driving fast in trucks and “keeping it country.” The ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ singer is writing his book about his childhood in Flatwoods, Ky. and his coming of age as a musician.